Abstract
Over the last decade, a number of methodological manuals on macroeconomic datasets were produced by the international community. This paper groups by topics and broad classifications a critical mass (some 40) of manuals that have been published since 1993 or that are nearing completion. Viewing the manuals in an integrated framework prompts reflection on four broad issues to be addressed for future work.
First, while the potential usefulness of the manuals came from their summarizing numerous and heterogeneous events into common elements, their authoritative value comes from being applied, known, and recognized. Knowing about them is made especially challenging by the sharp increase in the number of manuals developed in recent years. The paper describes means to promote awareness, and seeks views on how to go further.
Second, in developing the manuals, the focus has been on conceptual and methodological issues. Are there areas that need more conceptual work? Should the work shift toward guidelines for implementation? Should there be more emphasis in reaching data users by documenting the analytical needs that the manuals purport to respond?
Third, from a theoretical viewpoint, the various macroeconomic datasets should be fully integrated as they shed light on selected aspects of the same macroeconomic reality. In practice, however, manuals have been produced over a number of years, by various international organizations, and on a number of various subjects. The paper summarizes the extent to which the various manuals are harmonized and explores, with an eye to future development, the conditions that favoured such harmonization.
Finally, the paper raises concerns that would need to be addressed when updating the manuals. These include the role to be played by the national accounts as the central reference set for the other datasets, and the needs of transparent updating mechanisms, including criteria on if and when to update.
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